1) Was insulin shock therapy a viable clinical treatment?

No, insulin shock therapy is not a viable clinical treatment because of the negative aftereffects that it comes with it. This is a psychiatric treatment for people with schizophrenia by injecting with dose of insulin. In the movie, A Beautiful Mind, John Nash got a insulin shock therapy, but it did not last for a long time. Negative effects started to show up with constant coma, depression, and bad relationship with other people


2) Was John Nash an unusual case, or do you think that many schizophrenic patients can be taught to function in society with without medication?

John Nash is not an unusual case of schizophrenia. It is just the endurance and will of the people that they want to be. John Nash tried to function within the society that he is living in by trying to eliminate the hallucinations that he sees constantly. Medications will not fully cure the schizophrenic disease and with over dosage of medication, there is a chance that many negative effects might come with it.


3) What are the dangers and/or advantages of this type of treatment (re: insulin shock therapy)?


Insulin shock therapy has been banned in the United States but it still used in other areas, such as China. This shock therapy will only bring severe pain for the patient and researchers have said that this shock therapy will not cure or relieve the schizophrenic patient. The negative side effects are that the glucose level can drop to a level where the person might feel tired everyday. In a severe case, the shock therapy is able to cause severe brain damage or even to death.


4) What is the difference between the treatment of schizophrenia in 1960-1970 and today?


The medications of schizophrenia have developed over the past few decades. Nowadays, people are able to take simple pills with water and will not have any severe side affects. 50 years ago, people had to take shock therapies, which will only damage the brain and possibly the muscles in the human body. Also, people now know more about schizophrenia and they are able to develop ways to help people with schizophrenia.


5) What are the various types of schizophrenia? Which would you consider the worst case to have? The least worst? Explain why for each.


The various types of schizophrenia are catatonic, residual, paranoid, disorganized, and undifferentiated. Out of these types of schizophrenia, I believe that the catatonic one is the most severe. People with this type need to live on with a very uncomfortable life. They are not the person that they want to be. It will take many uncomforting hours to move from one position to another. They have no control whatsoever of what they are able to do. The least bad case of schizophrenia would be the paranoid schizophrenia because it is the most common type out of the five types. People are able to noticeable help people with this type.


6) What treatments are being pioneered today for schizophrenia?


Today, schizophrenia is being treated with drugs that will relieve the people. Although the medications will not completely cure the person with schizophrenia, it will partially relieve the person to the best capability. Shock therapy has been used at a minimal level and is only used for severe cases of schizophrenia. Currently, there are no publicly released medications that will fully cure schizophrenia.